Quantitative proteomics analysis of proteins involved in leaf senescence of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Delaying leaf senescence and prolonging the available time for photosynthesis is one of the important approaches to increase grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Here, iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics approach was used to comparative analyze the expression profiles of proteins in rice leaves in response to senescence. Totally 5067 proteins were identified. Compared with the proteins in the flag leaves at early stage of grain-filling in rice Liang-You-Pei 9 (LYP9), 240 and 188 proteins were up-regulated and down-regulated in the flag leaves at middle stage of grain-filling, and 387 and 202 proteins were up-regulated and down-regulated in the flag leaves at late stage of grain-filling, respectively. In addition, 39 and 18 identified proteins were constantly up-regulated and down-regulated in the leaves from early to middle and late stages of grain-filling, respectively. Among them, chloroplast chaperonin 10, geranylgeranyl diphosphate reductase, Mg chelatase subunit ChLD, porphobilinogen deaminase, protochlorophyllide reductase B and thioredoxin-like protein CITRX might have involved in the senescence of leaves. This study provided important information for understanding the age-sensitive mechanism of LYP9, and offered a foundation for future studying and improving it.